Rasmus Höjlund took a long time to score his first Premier League goal – and has been unstoppable ever since. Erik ten Hag is not surprised by the 21-year-old’s “strong character”
For Manchester United, the Champions League group stage was a debacle, but for Rasmus Höjlund personally it was a blessing. Because he scored five times in the six games, the murmurings about his Premier League record were limited. The Premier League gave him time that he no longer needs: The murmuring has now turned into marveling.
When he set Man United on their way to a 2-1 win at basement side Luton Town on Sunday with a brace in the first seven minutes of the game, Höjlund gave the impression of a striker who can do anything and who believes that he can do anything: First, he mercilessly exploited a slip-up in defense by curling safely around the goalkeeper. Then, following a corner, he instinctively stuck his chest into a volley and steered the ball into the net.
Höjlund had gone goalless in his first 14 league games, but since his debut goal on Boxing Day against Aston Villa (3-2), the ketchup has been pouring out of the bottle: since Sunday, Höjlund has become the youngest player in Premier League history to score at least once in six consecutive games at the age of 21 years and 14 days.
“I’ve never doubted myself,” emphasizes the Danish international, who was worth a base fee of 75 million euros to Man United in the summer, even though he had only spent one season in a top league at Bergamo, scoring nine goals in 32 games. It can get you down when you go so long without scoring “with such high expectations”. “But I always believed in myself. “
Ten Hag: “He is resilient and strong-willed “
His coach did anyway – and now feels vindicated. “We are very happy with the signing,” said Erik ten Hag on Sunday. “We’ve signed the right character because he can also perform under stress. When things go against him, as they did in the first half of the season, he is resilient and strong-willed.”
At that time, he had already shown his finishing ability in the league with a few disallowed goals, and in the Champions League anyway. “Of course he needed a bit of support, it’s not that easy when you’re so young and in a new club, a new league. The moments that are important as a striker to build up self-confidence weren’t there,” said ten Hag. “But you can see that he’s a fighter.”
Höjlund is the Red Devils’ biggest trump card in the battle for a Champions League place, which is now only five points away instead of six as of Sunday. They could win the bet they made with his expensive signing sooner than expected.
